This is hardly anything new to me. It certainly won’t shut me up. This is about the thought police again trying to stop people thinking. I am not going to be censored by anyone. You can’t have democracy and a free press on the one hand while on the other putting the idea into people’s heads that attacking a writer from behind with a branch or an iron bar is the way forward – Richard O’Rawe.
At one point in his book Afterlives Richard O’Rawe details a phone conversation he had with Brendan Duddy during which the Derry peace emissary conveyed to him the deep animosity that a lobby of powerful people held towards him. As the author of the brace of books Blanketmen and Afterlives his persistence in arguing a position they rather would not see the light of day was a source of deep irritation. Duddy told O’Rawe they wanted his public prosecution of the case discontinued.
The conversation came shortly after a discussion at the Gasyard in Derry which was a decisive tipping point – in O’Rawe’s favour – in the four year long debate around the management of the 1981 hunger strike. On the night O’Rawe had seen his account safely fire-walled against any reasoned assault and now his critics were invoking the unreasonable. Duddy was not making any threat, merely conveying to O’Rawe, as he was obliged to, the dangers he believed to be inherent in a situation that had caused untold discomfort to the powerful hierarchy that had come to dominate the Provisional project. Duddy’s view was arguably shaped by his dealings with people he had engaged over the decades and whom he knew carried few references from human rights agencies in their portfolios.
O’Rawe, who successfully came through a prolonged but hardly civil debate with those critical of his account, has often recounted his experiences of the difficulties encountered by someone at variance with the party line. Snapped at by whisper weasels, threats, ostracism and vilification - all played some part in constructing the regime of silence his critics hoped would smother him. Even were his account a stand-alone one with nothing other than the strength of his word to support it, the version he posited always managed to sound credible. The fact that it resembles so closely the experiences of others in broadly similar circumstances gives O’Rawe even greater authenticity.
Disappointingly, little seems to have changed since the republican author’s conversation with Brendan Duddy. The following account appeared on Indymedia.
At a recent 30th Hunger Strike anniversary meeting in Cork one of the
speakers openly threatened the life of Richard O'Rawe. The well known Shinner in reply to a question about Ricky's claims that the leadership allowed six strikers to die for political advantage completely lost the plot and said.
"Richard O'Rawe is taking his life in his own hands, and I wouldn't be
surprised if he was found dead some night.''
When he realised that the audience were totally stunned at this comment,
he qualified his remark by saying he ‘wouldn't be surprised if someone came up behind Ricky and hit him with a branch or a iron bar on the back of the head.’
The expression of an opinion or a plea for someone to rid the party of a turbulent writer? The poster on Indymedia clearly interpreted it as a threat. The speaker must have known that there was an element of the self-fulfilling prophecy at play. ‘Wouldn’t be surprised’ if O’Rawe was found dead some night sounds very like ‘would be disappointed’ if he wasn’t found dead some night.
On its own an internet post should not sound an alarm for the very reason that they would be blaring every second of the day. But Richard O’Rawe had already been informed of the portentous comment and is of the view that it was an invidious call to violence against him. Right or wrong he would be foolish to take a chance. Complacency is no ally of common sense.
18 comments:
As long as they have elections to consider they will be tempered i imagine. Richard is too high a profile on the political front if they moved on him. The odd dissident stiffed is not so touchy for them.
It's an edgy article Anthony and makes ones mind drift to possible scenarios should the wheels ever fall off their electioneering cart.
Thuggery is still in them and they are like a cult. They hunt in bully packs too.
Lets hope they keep enough elected reps to keep them in line.
Larry,
Isolated killings don't seem to inhibit Sinn Fein's electoral performance much, at least not in the North. Just ask the families of Robert McCartney, Joe O'Connor, Eamon Collins, etc.. In the South, it will be interesting to see how well they do in the coming general election, given the collapse of Fianna Fail support. But never underestimate the loyalty of a significant proportion of the electorate to Fianna Fail - for example, if a shaved ape was selected as a FF candidate in my constituency, he'd be guaranteed a seat. I suppose it's the same with SF in the North.
Anthony,
I really hope Richard O'Rawe does not suffer for his courage in telling his story and standing up to the Sinn Fein bully-boys.
Anyone who has read Richard O'Rawe's books could be in no doubt that he loved and respected his comrades too much to concoct an untruthful story based on that traumatic time of his life. In his first work he chose to include uncomfortable truths regarding his IRA career, which are not the usual traits of an egotistical, uber revisionists, as the PSF aparatchiks would have people believe.
I am sure there are many who wish they could do an 'Eamonn Collins' with Mr O'Rawe but hopefully they will just have to make do with Freudian slips..
Alfie
you must remember that whilst we take the piddle with michaelhenry his 'loyalty' to SF is the way that grouping functions. So yes you are correct, they have a similar situation in the north to the one you describe in your area. I mean, take a look at some of the councilors etc.
It's the fact that violence will inhibbit them in the south that will temper them i feel as in the Gerry McCabe event, the backlash hurt them bad.
But there will be many who would love to do as you say to Richard, but geraldo has his eye on the Dail. God help anyone who dents that ambition.
can't understand it myself but why do those who pretend to the media that they are hard-line always seem to be the ones who are always looking over their shoulder,
then the get offended if they get a wee threat
How can SINN FEIN bully the hardliners
keep up the crying and the media might catch on.
Larry,
'thuggery is still in them and they are like a cult. They hunt in bully packs too.'
Distilled so well.
Alfie they will do well enough to make no difference.
There is always the danger but as Larry points out the natural instinct is often held on a leash by more ambitious minds. Sinn Fein will calculate the cost/benefit before it decides to kill someone. It is not as easy for some of its leaders who are elected representatives to order their constituents killed as it was ten year ago. But never say never.
Michaelhenry what hardliner are you talking about? Hardly O'Rawe. The most hardline soul we have to listen to is yourself. You endlessly chatter on about killing this and killing that.
'Lets hope they keep enough elected reps to keep them in line'.
just thinking, that could be adams and mi6 marty's political strategy in a single sentence. As in, EVERYONE BETTER HOPE we keep enough political reps.
Ithink the prm have an ego almost as big as the bearded ones,they have committed and got away with so many crimes including murder, they have been and are still acting in the same fashion as the sticks using threats and actual violence and then claiming no blame and calling on anyone who knows anything to go to the police ,safe of course in the knowledge nonoe will, it was the same in the Mc Cartney murder ,Hargey I think was suspended from the party over it now she,s been co-opted onto Belfast city council,psf needs to be brought back down to earth with a reality check ,people need to see them for what they really are and remove any mandate they have or we will witness the rise of another nazi party who to thought nothing of disposing of any opposition .
marty
you're spot on, i was thinkin bout the sticks myself, when i was a teen everyone regarded them as a sellout but knew they had an ability to be very nasty if annoyed. But only towards their own community so to speak.
Prallels are striking. But provos will be more numerous and very upset, bad tempered bully's when the wheels finally fall off the cart.
I'm both happy to be old enough to see it coming and 'young' enough to have a chance of witnessing it in person. BRING IT ON.
If a "Well known shinner" made suc a statement at a public meeting it should be OK to name who it was. I sense an effort to publicise a book for the christmas sales here. Just saying.
Fergus,
'If a "Well known shinner" made suc a statement at a public meeting it should be OK to name who it was. I sense an effort to publicise a book for the christmas sales here. Just saying.'
Fergus the book hardly requires anymore publicity, i'm on the other side of the world and I've read it. Though I don't doubt for one second it was said, I'd be keen to know also who said it
Mackers,
Richard should apply for a minder or a gun or both, don't the shinners still have them?
What about Brendan Curran the Sinn Fein councillor and policing board member,he was watching over Jordan not so long ago, maybe Richard could employ him!
Curran has ruffled a few feathers though, apparently, a rival security firm owned by the son of a former RUC assistant chief constable was more than a little put out.
Adrian Mc Quillen the owner said he hoped the 'UVF would follow through and top her' Katie Price.
Fergus don't think Big Richard is that desperate for book sales.
Dominic Adams might be, as I would say worms are moving faster. Unless of course all the shinners are buying the book for xmas, must ask michaelhenry.
Dominic Adams wrote a book, are ye winding me up? What the hell about? His life with uncle Liam?
That just takes the biscuit.
Larry,
Dominic Adams launched his book a few weeks ago in Conway Mill.
It is called Faoi Ghlas, Irish for Lock Up. He apparently had the idea while working for Coiste. It is about his experience of being in prison.
I don't know if brother Liam is mentioned or not!
The Master will get a mention though, no show without punch.
Fionnuala
im just gobsmacked at that. It's like Calum Best using dads name to launch an aftershave recently, originality not, it's called BEST.
Like FF no concept of shame those guys. Dominic Adams wrote a book....well i never.
Any one of about 20,000 people could write that story.
Yeah Nuala and you,ll not find Dominic,s name all over the walls as a tout,nor will he be ostracised and isolated,more of do as I say not as I do fucking hypocrites and those who support them!
Fergus,
It is not too hard to find if you care to look around. As for a book being promoted and no more to it – I suppose that is true to the extent that SF do not intimidate or bully, threaten and ostracise. What chance that I wonder?
Nuala,
Pro-British get British guns
Marty,
‘they have been and are still acting in the same fashion as the sticks using
threats and actual violence and then claiming no blame and calling on
anyone who knows anything to go to the police ,safe of course in the
knowledge no one.’
The comparisons with the Sticks are remarkable although the Sticks were never as bad and I am sure would take umbrage at the parallel being drawn.
‘people need to see them for what they really are and remove any mandate they have or we will witness the rise of another nazi party who to thought nothing of disposing of any opposition .’
Tommy Gorman expressed this type of view at the Belfast meeting a few weeks ago. I don’t think they are a Nazi party but many in their ranks would not be bothered in the slightest if they were.
Larry,
The Stick analogy is always instructive. The DNA has simply been replicated
My memory of Dominic from jail is not for any writing inclination he had but because he was a gifted soccer player. I played against him on numerous occasions and he was outstandingly good.
Nothing will be permitted that the master does not ordain beforehand. Faoi Ghlas - I will try to read it at some point and make my mind up then.
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